3 Camp Tacos to Kick Your Next Dinner Up a Notch

Show us someone who doesn’t like tacos, and we’ll show you someone who’s never had a good one. Camp tacos are a popular dinner in camp for a few reasons: They’re a crowd-pleaser, and thanks to their outer shell, they’re require few dishes. Here, we present three recipes for camp tacos using simplified ingredients—pre-made taco seasoning instead of custom blends, for example, and bacon bits and black beans as a substitute for pork—to take your next dinner on the trail to the next level. —The Editors

Spicy Chicken Tacos

Make this classic taco with trail-friendly ingredients.

• 6 small corn or flour tortillas
• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1-2 serrano peppers, diced
• 1 7-oz. pouch chicken
• ½ packet taco seasoning
• 4 oz. cheddar cheese, grated
• 4 radishes, diced
• 6 sprigs cilantro, diced

At home: Store oil in a leakproof container. Pack veggies together (if dicing at home, pack only onion and peppers together).

In camp: Heat oil in pot on medium heat. Add onion and peppers; sauté until soft, about 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in seasoning, three tablespoons water, and chicken (not drained). Simmer until water is evaporated and meat is hot. Set aside while you warm tortillas in a pan. Scoop chicken into tortillas; top with cheese, radish, and cilantro.

Avocado and Bean Tacos

This fresh-tasting recipe is a vegetarian treat.

• 6 small corn or flour tortillas
• 8 oz. rehydrated black beans
• 2 green onions, diced
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 2 avocados (1 if large)
• 4 oz. cheddar cheese, grated
• 6 sprigs cilantro
• Salsa to taste (dehydrated or to-go packets)

At home: Pack avocado in a hard-sided container and other veggies together in a zip-top bag. Pack beans and tortillas separately.

In camp: Rehydrate and heat beans. Slice avocado. Warm tortillas and add beans and veggies to each. Top with cheese, cilantro sprig, and salsa.

Camp “Carnitas” Tacos

It’s not pulled pork, but it’s the next best thing you can make on the trail.

• 6 small corn or flour tortillas
• 1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1 small yellow onion, diced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, diced
• ½ packet taco seasoning
• 3 oz. bacon bits
• 8 oz. rehydrated black beans
• ¼ cup cabbage, diced
• 4 oz. cheddar cheese, grated
• 6 sprigs cilantro, diced

At home: Pack oil in a leakproof container; store veggies together.

In camp: Heat oil in a pot on medium heat. Add onion and pepper; sauté 3 to 5 minutes, until soft. Add seasoning, a quarter cup of water, and bacon bits. Stir and cook for 3 more minutes; set aside. Rehydrate and heat black beans. Fill tortillas with beans, bacon bit mixture, and cabbage, then top with cheese and cilantro.